Molding-machine



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. A. HORTON.

MOLDING MACHINE.

Noi 319,413. Patented June Z, 1885 Nv PETERS. Phwumo n h". wm-m mn, u. c,

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. A. HORTON.

V MOLDING MACHINE.

(No Model.)

No. 319,413. Patented June 2, 1885.

L'I/U 6/1 50 2" N. PEIERS, mmuuw n m, Wnhlngicn, o. c.

"rates Parana rricc.

MOLDING h/IACHINE.

%?ECIFIC'ATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 319d13, dated June 2,1885.

Application filed September 23, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, JAMES A. HORTON, o

v Reading, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Molding-lllachines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object, first, to provide improved means whereby the cutterheads of molding-machines may be more readily applied to and removed from the spindles; secondly, to provide a guide or bearing, independent of the cutter-head, against which the piece of wood is pressed while being molded, instead of being pressed against a collar on the cutter-head; and, thirdly, to enable the bed or table of a molding-machine provided with said independent bearing to be readily displaced to expose the cutter-head and the upper end of the spindle to which the same is attached.

To these ends my invention consists in the improvements which I will now proceed to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a molding-machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 represents an enlarged vertical section of the cutter-head.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

In the drawings, a represents the supporting-base of a molding-machine, and b repre sents the vertical spindle which rotates the cutter-head c. The spindle rotates in a step or bearing, d, at its lower end and a bearingblock, 0, of peculiar construction near its upper end. Said bearing-block is fully described in Letters Patent No. 309,055, granted to me December 9, 1884.

The cutter-head c is composed of two collars, 2 3, and cutting-knives clamped between said collars as usual, the ends of the knives being inserted in grooves formed in the proximate sides of the collars. The collars are secured to a sleeve, 4l,which passes through the lower collar and has a flange or shoulder at its lower end fitting in a cavity or socket in the under side of the lower collar, and is threaded at its upper end and screwed into a threaded socket in the upper collar. The out ter-head is secured to the spindle by the nut 6 on the threaded upper end of the latter, said nut bearing on the upper side of the collar 3. It will be seen that the cutter-head thus constructed may be removed bodily from the spindle without separating the collars from the knives, the latter being rigidly held by the collars and sleeve when removed from the spindle. The connection of the lower collar to the sleeve by means of the shoulder 011 the sleeve and the socket in the collar enables the collar to turn on the sleeve to bring its grooves into line with the grooves of the upper collar.

Heretofore the collars 2 3 have had no positive connection when removed from the spindle, the nut 6 on the spindle bearing upon the upper collar, 3, which is connected with the lower collar, 2, only by the spindle, the collars and knives being necessarily disconnected when removed from the spindle; hence the knives have to be adjusted whenever the cutter-head is applied to the spindle, the operation requiring care and skill. The positive connection of the collars by the sleeve 4 enables the operation of changing the cutterhcads to be performed with ease by a person not skilled in adjusting the knives in the usual way.

I am aware that Patent No. 98,124 shows a frame or holder which is placed on the spindle and supports the cutters, which may be applied and removed with the frame; but when said frame is removed from the spindle the knives are necessarily loosened instead of be ing rigidly held, as by my improved device.

on represents an arm secured to the table 12.

of the machine and projecting over the upper end of the spindle I). Said arm has a vertical socket, in which is placed a sleeve, 0, said sleeve being vertically adjustable in the socket, and confined at any desired point bya setscrew, 1).

q represents a rod adapted to rotate loosely in the sleeve 0, and supported therein by a shoulder or nut, s, on the upper end of the rod bearing on the upper end of the sleeve.

To the lower end of the rod is rigidly attached an inverted cup, 1", which projects downwardly over the upper end of the spindle b and surrounds the upper collar of the cutter-head, the lower portion of the cup constituting a bearing for the guide on the piece of wood being molded by the cutter, the operator pressing the guide against the cup or hearing instead of against the collar 3, as heretofore.

It will be seen that the cup or bearing relieves the cutter-head and spindle from the pressure heretofore exerted on it by the guide, and therefore prevents the loss of power caused by such pressure. Moreover, the cup, being mounted to rotate loosely, presents no resistance to the movement of the guide, so that the operator is enabled to move the work more easily while presenting it to the cutter. The cup or bearing, being entirely independent of the spindle, does not experience the jar or tremor which attends the rotation of the spindle, such jar being caused by slight and unavoidable variationsin the adjustment of the knives and the rapid rotation of the spindle.

The vertical adjustability of the sleeve 0 enables the bearing r to be accommodated to different sizes and styles of cutter-heads.

I am aware that a guard formed as an inverted cup has been rigidly attached to the spindle of a cutter-head, as shown in Patent No. 25,286, such guard necessarily rotating with the spindle and partaking of its tremor. Moreover, said patented guard is formed to bear on and hold down the work, it having a thin bottom flange, which would be caused by its rotation tocut into a form pressed horizontally against the guard. My independent guard, which does not rotate positively, presents an extended bearing-surface, which receives and supports the horizontal pressure of the form or pattern.

I am aware that a cutter formed to move upwardly and enter the under side of a piece of material has been accompanied by a nonrotiting holder bearing on the material over the point where the cutter is acting, as shown in Patent N 0. 222,970. Said cutter is not in-' tended to form the edge of a piece of material, because it is surrounded by a fixed tube or guard which obstructs it laterally and prevents the material from being presented edge- Wise to the cutter, while the holder is intended expressly to prevent the material from moving laterally. My cup or bearing, on the other hand, is used with a laterally unobstructed cutter adapted to act on the edge of a piece of material, and is inten led to facilitate the edgewise movement of the material being out.

The table a is hinged to the supportingframe at t, so that it can be turned upwardly with the arm at to remove the cup or bear-,

ing 1' as well as the table from their operative relation to the cutter-head, and thus eX- pose the cutter-head whenever it is desired to change, adjust, or sharpen the same, the advantage being in not having to raise the cutter-heads above the surface of the table in order to sharpen them.

I claim- 1. The cutter-head composed of a sleeve formed to be removably applied to the cutterspindle, the collars 2 3, secured to and positively connected by said sleeve, and the knives held by grooves in the proximate surfaces of said collars, as set forth.

2. The cutter-head composed of the sleeve 4, threaded at its upper end, the collars 2 3, secured to the sleeve, as described, and the knives inserted at their ends in grooves in the proximate surfacesof the collars and rigidly heldby said sleeve and collars whether on or off the cutter-spindle, as set forth.

3. The combination of the sleeve 4, threaded at its upper end and shouldered at its lower end, the collar 2, sock eted to receive the shoulder of the sleeve, the collar 3, tapped to receive the threaded end of the sleeve, and the knives inserted at their ends in grooves in the proximate surfaces of the collars and rigidly held by the sleeve and collars, as set forth.

4. The combination, with a laterally unobstructed cutter-head, of the inverted .cup or bearing projecting over the same, said bearing being entirely independent of the cutterhead and formed to support and guide the edge of the form or pattern while the edge of the material below it is being shaped by the cutter-head, as set forth. 5. In a molding-machine, the combination of the base, the spindle, and the cutter-head journaled therein, and the hinged table having the arm m, and the cup or bearing 1", supported by said arm, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name JAMES A. HORTON.

Witnesses:

G. F. BROWN, II. BnowN. 

